Combination shirt board, collar support, and envelope for laundered shirts



Nov. 10, 1936. J COHEN 2,060,497

COMBINATION SHIR T BOARD, COLLAR SUPPORT,

AND ENVELOPE FOR LAUNDERED SHIRTS Filed Aug. 29, 1935 [/WE/V TOP JOSEPH COHEN purpose of inserting the Patented Nov. 10, 1936 COMBINATION SHIRT ENVELOPE FOR LAUN- SUPPORT, AND DERED SHIRTS Joseph Cohen, New York, N.

BOARD, COLLAR Y., assignor oi onehalf to Hyman Ratner, Brooklyn, N. 1. Application August 29, 1935, Serial No. 38,396 10 Claims. (Cl. 223-71) moving out through either of the open ends of This invention relates to a combination shirt board, collar support and envelope for laundered shirts.

In different laundries various means are used to preserve the finished, laundered shirt in a neat condition between the time of finishing it and the delivery of it to and use of it by the patron.

In some laundries, after the ironing operation is completed, the shirt is mounted before delivery upon a rectangular board, usually about twice as long as it is wide. In many cases it is customary to engage the two ends of the neck band or collar, either by a button already on the shirt or by a separate collar button, and then to insert behind the forward portion of the buttoned neck band or collar a long narrow strip of relatively stiiTv paper board, curved to conform to the shape of the neck band or collar, to keep the same from being flattened and wrinkled. Frequently also a continuous band of thinner paper is slipped over the narrow dimension of the folded shirt to keep it from unfolding on the shirt board.

In other methods of mounting the finished shirt, it is folded in the usual manner over a shirt board and then slipped into a shirt envelope and the shirt board withdrawn while leaving the shirt in the envelope. A common shirt envelope is one in which a piece of lighter weight, more flexible paper is pasted along the edge of one of the longer sides of an ordinary shirt board, brought around in front of the board and the other end of the paper folded around the other longer side of the shirt board and pasted along the edge of that side. Other shirt envelopes are made in one piece, about double the width of the ordinary shirt board and folded along about the middle with the free end of the front portion folded around under the outside and glued behind the outer edge of the rear portion.

Other shirt envelopes are similar to this last described one, but in addition the upper part of the front portion is cut away to expose the neck band or collar of the shirt. In some cases the envelopes with the cut away portion have side flaps at the cut away portion to be inserted under the sides of the forward portion of the collar. Still others have in addition a tab at a position in the cut away portion opposite the free front of the neck band or collar, which tab has a slit into which the collar button is inserted. The collar button into the slot in that tab be g o ke p the from the shirt envelope.

It is generally found envelopes of the types d necessary to insert a that in using the shirt escribed above, it is also collar support such as 5 earlier described in order to keep the collar from becoming flattened handling. In many which the shirt has bee after the shirt has been wrinkled during later n folded is not removed inserted in the shirt en- 10 velope, but it appears to be the more frequent practice, as a matter of e conomy, to withdraw the shirt board after the shirt has been inserted in the envelope. In the 1 occurs that the shirt 'is wholly removed from t withdrawal of the shirt of time and additional steps necessary the envelope.

It is readily apparent finished laundered shirts scribed types of shirt e the shirt for shipment atter case it very often also either partially or he envelope during the board. This causes loss labor in repeating the to properly insert the shirt in that in the handling of with the above denvelopes, the labor cost in the envelope.-

It is, also apparent that the above described shirt envelopes are more expensive than a shirt envelope really need be in the manufacturing stamping out operation,

portions of paper about in view of the fact that thereof, following the 30 it is necessary to'fold others and then to use glue and a gluing operation.

The finishing procedure in the laundry is also costly in that large numbers of the accessories,

such as the collar supports and shirt bands must be on hand at each operator's working table, and

it is not unusual these accessories the working table to be for an appreciable number of blown or dropped from 40 and spoiled.

I have found that all of the above experienced difliculties can be combination shirt readily avoided by using the board, collar support and envelope which I have developed. Broadly, my invention comprises a one piece article about twice 45 the length of the ordinary shirt board, foldable about the middle of its length to form a rear portion, which board member is practically identical with the ordinary shirt board except for a tab extended beyond the folded end, and a front 50 piece in which a portion to allow the exposure of near the fold is cut away the complete collar, the

lower end of said cut away part having a generally Y-shaped yoke, th tions of which are to be e two diverging arm por- 55 inserted under the front portion of the collar, and below said cut away portion two bands cut out of the lower portion of the front piece, the loose ends of which can be drawn behind the entire shirt envelope and there fastened by slits near the extremities of the loose Still another feature of the invention is the elimination of operations, such as, for example, the withdrawal of the shirt board and the possible withdrawal of the shirt with it, for no shirt board is required to be withdrawn when using my invention.

A further advantage occurs from the fact that the usual identification tab which is attached to shirts at the very beginning of the laundering operations, can remain on the shirt up to the moment when the finished shirt is being loaded into the customer's carton, whereas with the customary envelopes it is necessary to remove the identification tab before the shirt is inserted into the shirt envelope. The old practice frequently results in mixing the work of one customer with that of another.

Still a further feature of the invention is the fact that the shirt is securely folded in this envelope in such a manner that it cannot be creased during any of the subsequent handling and there is no possibility of the shirt slipping out of the envelope, thus eliminating any need for a tab to which the top button of the shirt must be engaged. In fact, the collars of shirts folded in this new shirt envelope can be kept closed even without the use of a collar button.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of my combination read in reference to the accompanying drawing ,in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the combination shirt board, collarsupport, shirt band and envelope as produced and ready for use, the part which is to comprise the back piece being shown in shortened dimension;

Fig. 2 is the front view of a shirt with collar attached, as mounted in the combination shirt envelope, ready to be placed in the customer's package;

Fig. 3 is a portion of the back view of Fig. 2 illustrating the manner in which the extremities of the loose ends of the bands are engaged behind the folded shirt; and

Fig. 4 is the front view of a slightly modified form of the invention applicable to soft laundered shirts with collars attached, in which the collars may be arranged flat in shipment.

Referring to Fig. 1, the light scoring along the line l0i0 divides the construction into a back or shirt board piece H and front piece l2. back or shirt board piece H is of about the same size and proportions as the usual shirt board, but differs from it only in that extending from one end of it, namely, the upper end (located at there is a tongue l3, relatively of suitable the scoring l0) longer in width than in length, and

The

size and proportions to fit into the back portion of the fold of the collar.

In the upper part of the front piece l2, that is the part nearer the scored line Ill, a portion of the front piece l2, of sufilcient size to permit at least the entire collar of a shirt to protrude therethrough, is cut away as indicated at I. From the middle of the lower edge of the cut away portion H a Y-shaped yoke member l5 extends from the front piece I! with the diverging arms l6 of the Y toward the upper end of the front piece. The Y-shaped yoke is actually a part of the front piece l2, being continuous therewith through the leg member ll of the Y. The leg member I! is scored with preferably horizontal scoring lines for purposes which will hereinafter appear.

Starting slightly below the cut away portion of the front piece l2, and preferably to either side of the base I1 and running down toward the bottom of the front piece l2 are band members l8 and I9 resulting in each case from cutting two long, preferably parallel slits, into the front piece l2 for each of said band members and joining the lower ends of both of the slits in each set with a transverse slit. The band members [8 and i9 can then be lifted out of the plane of the front piece l2 to the extent of the entire length of the long slits, but the upper ends of the bands remain integral with the front piece. The upper portions 20 and 2!, respectively, of said bands are scored so as to permit the band members l8 and I9 to be turned over the front piece l2 around the respective outer edges thereof and behind the outer surface of the back member ii.

In the lower ends 22 and 23, respectively, of the bands IB and I9 there are cut one or more short slits 24 and 25, preferably transversely and only about half way across the bands. In order that the lower ends of the bands l8 and I9 may be easily connected by the engagement of the slits 24 and 25, it is preferable that, if the slits 26 are located on the left hand side of the band l8, the slits 25 be also on the left hand side of the band I 9. By finishing each slit 24 and 25 at the base thereof with a small hole 26, the engagement of the ends of the bands is actually slipproof. By having more than one of said slits in at least one of the bands the length of the bands in engagement is adjustable for shirts of various thicknesses of material.

The design and function of each of the individual parts of the construction will be more readily understood from the following description of the method of assembling the combination shirt board with a shirt.

After the ironing of a shirt has been completed, the front portion of the shirt is buttoned in accordance with the usual practice and the shirt is placed on the-work table with the front down. The combination shirt envelope is then placed over a portion of the back of the shirt so that the tongue l3 can be inserted under the rear portion of the fold of the collar with the shirt board piece ll extending from the back of the collar down along the middle portion of the back of the shirt and the front piece l2 extending off the shirt beyond the collar. The shirt is then folded about the back piece II in the same manner as is customary with the usual shirt board. The shirt is then turned over so that the front thereof faces upward and the front piece l2 of the combination envelope is brought over the collar and down on the front of the shirt. Thus, the collar of the shirt is exposed in that it projects through the cut away portion ll of the front piece I2 and the scored line I0 appears at the fold on both sides of the collar and over the shoulders of the shirt.

The arms I 6 of the Y l5 are then inserted one into each side of the collar 30 as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, wherein the arms l6 of the yoke under the collar are indicated by dotted lines. Pressure is then applied by hand to the scored leg member I! of the yoke l5 so that the base 3| of the arm |6 of the yoke will fit as snugly as possible against the front middle portion of the collar band. ,By this pressure the yoke member I! is flattened against the band of the shirt in such a manner that the base 3| of the yoke and the arms l6 hold the collar in position very snugly. In case the collar is laundered stiff, this adjustment of the leg member |1 causes the base 3| and the arms It to hold the collar snugly and inclined in a plane raised from that of the front of the shirt.

The bands l8 and I! are then turned outwardly beyond the edges of the front piece l2 and bent around the back of the assembly and engaged by the respective slits 24 and 25 as indicated in Fig. 3.

Thus, at the end of the entire operation of enclosing a shirt in the combination envelope, theportion of the front piece I2 from which the bands I8 and I9 have been cut, will appear as openings 32 and 33, respectively, in the piece I2 as seen in Figs. 2 and 4, whereas the upper portion of the bands It and 9 will appear respectively in the parts 34 and 35 in the front of the assembly as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and the balance of the bands in the parts 36 and 31 in the back of the assembly as in Fig. 3.

By reference to Fig. 3, it is readily seen that the identification tab 38, attached to the shirt at the very beginning of the laundering process, remains on the shirt throughout the entire time that the ironed shirt is being enclosed in the shirt envelope and that the tab 38 need only be removed before the assembly is to be put away in the package for the customer.

In the case of a shirt, the collar of which has been soft laundered and which may be laid fiat in preparirm the shirt for shipping, the modification illustrated in Fig. 4 is employed. In this modification the front piece is of exactly the same design as before. The difference occurs only in the back piece' II and in that only with respect to the tongue l3. In this modification, instead of the tongue l3 extending beyond the actual back piece H, i. e. beyond the line |0||l, notches 40 and 4| are cut into the top of the back piece II in such a manner as to produce a tongue |3a, the top edge of which is practically flush with the scored line It.

This modification is handled in practically identically the same manner as the other form in assembling it with a shirt except that the pressure and adjustment of the leg member I! of the yoke is manipulated in sucha manner that the two sides of the front of the collar will lie fiat over the front of the shirt and be held snugly in such position by the arms l6. 7

It is readily apparent from the tion of the make up of this new shirt envelope that it can be very readily and economically produced in one operation by stamping it out of a blank board with one die. This one die can be designed so that in the one operation it will make all the necessary cutsrequired to form the individual parts of the construction and also the above descrip necessary impressions in the surface of the front piece l2 to produce scoring in the upper portions of the band members l8 and I9 and in the leg member I! of the Y-shaped yoke and for the dividing line ||I||l between the front piece l2 and back piece It is readily ap arent that no glue is necessary in the original construction of the device or in any of the steps followed in assembling it about a finished shirt.

An outstanding advantage of the invention is the reduction in labor costs and increase in production in the finishing department of the laundry and elimination of waste by the absence of the necessity of using accessories in the finishing department.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various substitutions, omissions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A combination shirt board and envelope comprising a shirt board member and a front piece member attached to one end thereof, said ,front piece being formed with an opening near its attachment to the board member sufficient to clear the collar of the shirt, means about said opening for holding the collar in a relatively fixed position, and bands integral with the front piece member adapted to be drawn around the front piece and shirt board members and to enclose the shirt behind the shirt board member.

2. A combination shirt board and envelope comprising a shirt board member and a front piece member attached to one end thereof, said front piece being formed with an opening near its attachment to the board member sufilcient to clear the collar of the shirt, means about the upper and lower portions of said opening for holding the collar in a relatively fixed position, and bands integral with the front piece member adapted to be drawn around the front piece and shirt board members and to enclose the shirt behind the shirt board member.

3. A combination shirt board and envelope comprising a shirt board member and a front piece member attached to one end thereof, said front piece being formed with an opening near its attachment to the board member sufficient to clear the collar of the shirt, a tongue-like member integral with the shirt board member and adjacent to the opening in the front piece member and of sufilcient width and height to project into the rear fold of the collar of a shirt and a Y-shaped yoke at the lower portion of said opening for holding the collar in a relatively fixed position, and bands integral with the front piece member adapted to be drawn around the front piece and shirt board members and to enclose the shirt behind the shirt board member.

4. A combination shirt board and envelope comprising a shirt board member and a front piece member attached to one end thereof, said front piece being formed with an opening near its attachment to the board member suflicient to clear the collar of the shirt, means about the lower portion of said opening for holding the collar in a relatively fixed position, and bands below said opening and integral with the front piece adapted to be drawn around the sides of the front piece and shirt board members and to enclose the shirt behind the shirt board member.

5. A combination shirt board and envelope comprising a shirt board member and a front piece member attached to one end thereof, said front piece being formed with an opening near its attachment to the board member sufllcient to clear the collar of the shirt, a Y-shaped yoke at the lower portion of said opening for holding the collar in a relatively fixed position, and bands below said opening and integral with the front piece adapted to be drawn around the sides of the front piece and shirt board members and to enclose the shirt behind the shirt board member.

6. A combination shirt board and envelope comprising a shirt board member and a front piece member attached to one end thereof, said front piece being formed with an opening near its attachment to the board member suillcient to clear the collar of the shirt, a Y-shaped yoke at the lower portion of said opening for holding the collar in a relatively fixed position, and straplike hands out out of the body of the front piece member below said opening and integral with the front piece and adapted to be drawn around the sides of the front piece and shirt board members and to enclose the shirt behind the shirt board member.

'7. A one-piece combination shirt board and envelope comprising a substantially rectangular shape of relatively stiff material foldable across its narrower dimension to form a rear or shirt board piece and a front piece, said front piece being formed with an opening near the line of folding of such shape as to leave as an extension of the rear piece a tongue of sufilcient width and height to project into the rear fold of the collar of a laundered shirt, said opening being of sufllcient size to permit the collar of the shirt to completely clear it, a Y-shaped yoke integral with the body of the front piece and extending into the opening at its lower portion and adapted to be inserted from the front of the collar under the forward portions of the fold thereof, bands out out of the body of the front piece below the opening and adapted to be drawn over the edges of said front piece around the back of the rear piece and slots near the outer ends of said bands to enable the bands to be engaged to form a continuous band enclosing the back piece.

8. In a shirt envelope having a back member and a, front member formed with an opening near its top sufllcient to clear the collar of a shirt, means to hold the collar of the shirt in a relatively fixed position consisting of a flaplike member extending into the top of said opening to be inserted under the rear portion of the collar and a second member integral with the body of the front piece and extending into the opening at its lower portion and finishing in two oppositely extending arms adapted to be inserted under the forward portions of the fold of the collar.

9. In a shirt envelope, a front piece member formed with an opening near its top, sufficient to clear the collar of a shirt, means for holding the collar in a relatively fixed position, said means being integral with the body of the front piece and extending into the opening at its lower portion and finishing in two oppositely extending arms adapted to be inserted under the forward portions of the fold of the collar.

10. A combination shirt board and envelope comprising a shirt board member and a front piece member attached to one end thereof, said front piece being formed with an opening near its attachment to the board member sufllcient to clear the collar of the shirt, means for holding the collar in a relatively fixed position comprising a member integral with the body of the front piece and extending into the opening at its lower portion and finishing in two oppositely extending arms adapted to be inserted under the forward portions of the fold of the collar and means removed from the place of attachment between the shirt board member and the front piece for retaining both said shirt board and front piece members in a relatively fixed relation to each other.

JOSEPH COHEN. 

